Gas treating apparatus



April 16, 1935. H. E? DELVIN 1,998,224

GAS TREATI NG APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 17, 193i 2 Sheets-Sheet l l; ii 4. j;

April 16, 19350 DELVIN 1,998,224

GAS TREATING APPARATUS OriginalFiled Dec. 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 16, 1935 I J I 1,998,224 F GAS TR ATING-APPARATUS Hart E. nei in ay, Ind. 'Refiled for application SerialNo. 581,717, December 17, 1931. This application July 23, 1934, 7 Serial No. 736,605 1 a I a c a swi 6 -9 1 up w a My invention relates to gas treating apparatus; Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken and it consists in the combinations, construcalongthe line 4-g-4 of Figure 2, ,7 tions, and arrangements herein described and In carryingout my invention, I make useof claimed. a 7 apparatus indicatedgeneraHy by the numeral l 5 An, object of myinvention is to provide aphaving a lower sectionv 2,;an upper section 3, 5 paratus whereby the exhaust gases of an internal and an intermediate section ,4. 7 The apparatus combustion engine may be rendered comparamay be also provided with a motor 5. The motor tively harmless. t 5 may beoperatively connected to a central shaft A further object of my invention is to provide 6 for purposes hereinafter described.

' a method of treating the'products of combustion vThe lower section 2.consists*in part oi a circu- 10- of an internal combustion engine in such a man- (base p i nv Cylindrical outerwall p ner as to greatly reduce, if not entirely prevent; tion 8,;and a tubular-oil indicating means 9, the poisonous action of these gases upon breath- The cylindrical wall portion 8 the base portion ing organisms. l, and the OiLindicating means 9 may be welded 15. 7A further objectis to provide means adaptable 017 otherwise connected togetherin any suitable to be connected to the exhaust pipe of an autom nn r, h a for instance, is indicated n motive vehiclewhich will act as a combination F u i a 1 mufller and liquid-spraying device. Y I -The indicating'means 9 maybe tubu n o A further object of my invention is to provide and have an uprightportion. I0 provided with a means wherebythe heated gases of combustion cap H. The upright portion 10 is provided with 20v of an internal combustion engine may be suban-elongated opening l2 providedwith a curved jected to a bath of liquid in a manner whereby glass window l3 which-is fitted in the opening in these gases maybe rendered'less poisonous to a water-tight mannerl Thewindow I3 may be human beings. calibrated, as shownyfor the purpose of indicat- A further object of my invention is to provide ing th hfl f 1 830 a inner c tai e 25 means whereby the objectionable odor of the l5. The innercontainer li is formed by the in.- gases of combustion may be reduced, if not enner portion of the base I and a hollow cylindrical tirely obviated. a wall member [Shaving-an annular heat insulat- A further objectlis'to provide means whereby ing air space I62, The wall inember l6 may be the solid particles of the gases of combustion provided-with a plurality ofaperturesl'l and an 30 may be trapped. v upper inclinedoutwardly extending flange 18.

A further object is the. provision of means I The cylindrical outer wall- -portion 8 and the whereby the objectionable characteristics of the cylindrical wall member 16' as well as a portion heated gases of combustion may be modified so of the base I is provided with an annular insulatas to render these gases substantially inocuous. ing lining. The lining I 9 maybe made of any A further object is to provide means whereby suitable insulating material adaptedto withstand these gases may be subjected to a scrubbing the action of the heated parts of combustion as after they have been forced through a suitable theypass around the annular chamber 2fltafter liquid. having entered theapparatusthrough the tubu- 40 Other objects and advantages will appear in la connection 2|. and the opening 22. 4:0

the following specification, and the novel fea- The tubularconnection 2l may be welded'or tures of the invention will be particularly pointed otherwise secured to thecylindrical outer wall out in the appended claims. portion 8. and may be provided with a threaded My invention is illustrated in the accompanycollar means 23 whereby connection may be made 4:, ing drawings, forming part of this application, with a pipe 24, see Figure 2,-a portion'of which in which may be curved so as to. provide a coil 25. The Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the device pipe 24 may be connected to-the end of an'exhaust of my invention operatively connected to the expipe or mufller.26 anyany suitable manner, such haust pipe of an automotive vehicle and being as by a tapered tubular.member21.;, f provided with an electrical circuit for indicating If desired, the hollow ;interior; of the pipe 24 5 the amount of oil in the apparatus. may be provided with a flexible heli'cal'means 28. Figure 2 is an elevational View of the appara- The reduced end portion 21 and the flexible means tus. i a 28 each tend .to reduce the velocity ofthe exhaust 1 Figure 3 is a section taken along the'line 3-3 gases as they pass through the pipe 4! into the of Fig. 2, and p at s L, 1

verted conical member 36, the lower and central portion of which is cut out to form an opening 3|. The conical member 30 provides means whereby the liquid contents of the container l may be prevented from overflowing whenthe car is tilted or subjected to unusual vibration. A metal supporting strip 33 may be connected to the conical member 30 substantially as shown secured thereto by any other suitable means.

This strip 33 is provided with a centrally disposed opening 34 for the purpose of admitting a pipe 35 in which is fitted the rod 6 having a spiral flange 38.

The rod 6 is adapted to rotate within the pipe 35 in such a manner as to raise upwardly any fluid which may be in the container IS. The lower end 39 of the pipe 35 may be open and provided, if desired, with any suitable screening means, not shown, whereby foreign matter may be prevented from entering the tubular means 35. The pipe 35 may also be provided with a fixed collar 46 for the dual purpose of supporting the tubular means and preventing the tubular means from'touching the base The collar 40 may be secured to "the strip 33. The strip 33 may also be provided with openings 4| for the purpose of receiving rods 42 to the lower end of which ,is'secured a floating means 43. r 1 l The floating means 43 may be provided with a central opening 44 in a manner permitting the float to move upwardly or down'wardlywith respect to the pipe 35. V 7

One of the rods 42 may be provided with a rigidly connected collar 45 having a pivoted extension 46 to which issecured a crank means 41. The crank means 4'! is'operatively connected to a switch means 46. 'The switch means 46 may be provided with a contacting lever, not shown, which is operatively connected to the crank means 41 and a plurality of contact-meansoperatively connected to suitable resistance units. This switch means 43' maybe operatively' connected by any suitable conductors such as 32 and 46, to a meter 50, and any suitable source 'of electric current not shown. The switch means 43 is well known to the art and requires no detailed description. The purpose of the float 43, the switch means, and the meter 50 is to indicate the position of the oil in the inner container I5. The switch means maybe rigidly connected to' the strip 33 in the manner indicated in Figure 1.

The intermediate section 4 may consist of an' outer tubular wall 5| provided withan internal shoulder 52. The shoulder 52 is provided for the purpose of supporting an annular fluid trough means 53. A metal cone 54 may be either rigidly or slidably secured at'the central and top portion to the upper end of the pipe 35. This cone may be made of copper. The lower end of this cone is so positioned within the annular fluid trough member 53 that when. the member-53 is filled with the fluid, all gases passing from the lower section 2 into the uppersection 3 must pass'through the liquid. A conical perforated screen member 56 may also be secured to the upper portion of the tubular member 35 just above the metal cone 54:

The circumferential edge 51 of this screen may be clampingly secured in position by a circular wire gasket 58 and the flanges 60 and 59 of the outer tubular wall 5| and the casing 6|. The casing 6| forms the wall and top portion of the upper section 3.

The tubular rod 35 at its upper end is provided with a tongue or extension 62 which may be operativelyconnected to the shaft 63 of the motor 5 substantially as shown in Figure 1. Above the screen member 56, I have provided a collar member 64 which may be rigidly secured to the rod 35 in any suitable manner. The collar 64 is provided with a plurality of openings 61 adapted to receive wire brush means 68, the upper portion of which may be .clampingly secured in the openingsiil by screws 69. The brush means 68 may be formed of a plurality of twisted wires which clampingly secure brushes 12 which may be'ma'de of metal wire. These brushes distribute the liquid and cool the liquid which has been raisedfrom the container l5 and serve to remove any oil film from the cone 56.

The casing 6| may be enlarged at the upper end as is indicated at 13 and provided with a plurality of circumferentially disposed openings 14 through which the products of combustion may pass out of the apparatus into the atmosphere. The upper. section 3 is provided with a perforated cylindrical member 15 and an inwardly extending circular member 16. The circular member 16 is provided with a large central opening 1.! through which the rod 35passes. The circular member 16 and the perforated cylindrical member l5may be secured to the casing 6| in any suitable manner.

The perforated member 15 may also be provided with a perforated annular flange member 18 which is rigidly secured to the casing 6| and the perforated cylindrical member 15 in any suitable manner, such as bywelding. Within the chamber formed by the perforated cylindrical member, the perforated flange I6 and the casing 6|, is inserted an annular screen 19.. This annular screen 19 may be made of any suitable material, such as, for instance, a perforated or stabbed metal plate which has been wound in a plurality of layers to provide a means whereby any liquid still remaining in the exhaust products of combustion may be retained within the apparatus.

The liquids caught by the screen member 18 descend through the perforated members 16 and 15 and pass through perforations 80 in the vertical circular member 16 into the annular trough member 53. Positioned-above the collar 64 and the member 16 is a propeller or fan 3| which is rigidly secured to the rod 35" by means of the screw 62.

A cylindrical baille may encircle the propeller in a manner which is best understood by referring to Figure 1. The baiiie may be fixedly secured to an upper portion 83 of the casing .6|. The central portion of the upper portion 83 may be provided with an integral collar 84. The motor 5 may be operatively secured to the shaft 35 in any suitable manner, such as, for instance, by meansofa bracket member 65. The bracket member may be rigidly secured to the upper portion 83 by bolts 86. Integral bosses 81 of the top portion 83 having threaded recesses 86 may be provided for the purpose of receiving the bolts 86.

The motor 5 may be provided with a sleeve 69 in which is fixedly secured the motor shaft 63. The rod 31 and the shaft 63 may be provided with shaft 63 may be provided with a slotted screw.

or other suitable means 92, whereby the motor shaft may be turned by a screwdriver or the like should the shaft become frozen tothe motor frame. The screw 92 also .provides means for retaining a cover. washer 93 and a bearing 94. The upper portion of the motor may be provided with a downwardly inclined drain means 95,

whereby any oil carried to the top of the shaft. may be caught and prevented from injuring the insulation of the motor wiring. I

The container l5 may be filled by passing the fluid through the tubular oil indicating means 9.

I have, however, provided a threaded opening I.

in the intermediate section land a threaded plug member IOI for closing this opening. I have also employed a tubular drain member I02 for the purpose of enabling the liquid to pass over the annular chamber 20 and into the. inner container I5. The annular chamber 20 may, if desired, be provided with an opening I03- and a pluglfl t,

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. When the device has-been properly assembled and connected to the exhaust conduit 26, the container I5 may be filled with any suitable fluid and the motor 5 energized. The liquid is'drawn upwardly through the tube 35 by the rotation of the flanged tubular rod 31. This liquid is discharged outwardly at the upper end of the tube 35 and the great portion of the liquid is discharged upon the conical member 54. The liquid is then drained into the trough means 53 and the device is now ready to receive the incoming products of combustion. These products of combustion enter the device through the opening 22 and are deflected downwardly by the baffle member 29. The incoming products of combustion are thereby given a rapid circular motion and most of the solid products of combustion are thrown against the outer portion of the insulating lining l9 and fall to the lower portion of the chamber 29. The rotating gases continue their circular motion and pass out at the upper end of the chamber 20 and enter the space between the conical member 30 and the cone 54. In doing this they pass under an annular flange 32 from which the liquid overflowing from the trough member drops to the conical member 30.

In passing this descending stream of liquid, the gases of course become impregnated with the liquid. These gases also force a. certain amount of the liquid toward the interior. The inner chamber in which the gases now find themselves is therefore heavily saturated with heated liquid vapor. The h at is intense, and certain chemical changes occur here, the nature of which is not thoroughly understood.

While I have discovered that water and many other liquids may be used advantageously, I have found that the use of a mineral oil is extremely efiicient, particularly the more refined oils. A mineral oil of the type often used internally has proved itself particularly efiioient. While in this chamber, the liquid and the gases are cooked and a certain portion of the cooked products fall downwardly and are removed from circulation. The gases are now-forcedupwardly against the cone 54 where. they are deflected into the annular trough 53. The liquidin the trough 53 of course further wets and-weights the products of combustion'and depositstheni in the trough, from which they are expelled by reason of the liquid inthe trough overflowing at certain times. The c'ookedand liquid scrubbed products of combustion now arisefrom the liquid in the trough 53 andascend upwardly through the perforated cone .56 andcome in contact with the-rapidly. rotating brush means 68;

The brush means 63 serve a'double purpose. They tend to clean the perforations in the cone 5S and atthe. same time'impart to the wetted products of combustion a rotating motion which forces the wetted product's'against'the wall 6! and the circular memberl..15; Upon striking thesev surfaces, the greater portion ofthe moisture inthe products of combustion is removed.

.These gaseous products are now thrown upwardly through the: opening 11 and are there again'given a rapid-circular motion by ."the propellers 8|; The propellersM throw the products of combustion directly against the baffle 10 upon which the wetted products of combustion again lose more of their. moisture; After; passing under the baffle 19, the gases-pass through the member ;;an'd-:come'.in=.contactwiththescreen 19. :One formcf the screenlflconsistsjof a perforated or stabbed'plate having a out-away directly dependingportion H0. These'c'ut-away portions tend to gather a:cert ain proportion of the remaining moisture ofvthe products of combustion. This moisture passes downwardly through the flanged member 18 and the circular member I6. After passing the screen 19, the exhaust gases now pass out of the apparatus. Repeated and exhaustive experiments have proven that the treated gases are no longer as dangerous to life as they were before being treated.

The heat insulating air space l6. surrounded by the hollow cylindrical wall 16 provides means whereby the fluid in the container may be prevented from being unduly heated by the heat of the combustion products. This air space, while not indispensible to the operation of my device, enables the liquid in the container to be used for a longer time than would otherwise be possible.

This application is a refile for my forfeited application No. 581,717, filed Dec. 17, 1931, and allowed Dec. 15, 1932.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described adapted for operative connection to an exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine and including a casing provided with a gas inlet port, a gas outlet port, a gas passageway communicating with said ports, a liquid container forming part of said passageway, inclined baffie means for guiding the gas into the liquid container, said device being also provided with a liquid reservoir, means for passing the liquid from the liquid reservoir to the bafiie means, said bafile means being adapted to drain the liquid into the liquid container, and means for returning liquid from said container to said reservoir.

2. A device of the type described adaptable for operative connection to an exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine and including a cas ing, an oil reservoir disposed in the casing, a gas inlet port, a gas outlet port, a gas passageway in part surrounding said reservoir and communicating with said ports, a liquid container disposed above the reservoir and forming part of the pas- 3- A device of the type described adaptable for operative connection to an exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine and including a casing, an oil reservoir disposed in the casing, a gas inlet port, a gas outlet port, a gas passageway in part surrounding said reservoir and communicating with said ports, a liquid container disposed above the reservoir and forming part of the passageway, rotatable means for passing the liquid from the reservoir into the upper portion of the casing, and conical means for guiding the liquid into the liquid container, the conical means having an outer portion projecting into the container, said outer portion serving as a bafiie means for deflecting the products of combustion into the liquid reservoir.

4. A device of the type described adaptable for operative connection to an exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine and including a casing, an oil reservoir disposed in the casing, a gas inlet port, a gas outlet port, a gas passageway in part surrounding said reservoir and communicating with said'ports, a liquid container disposed above the reservoir and forming part of the passageway, rotatable means for passing the liquid from the reservoir into the upper portion of the casing, and conical means for guiding the liquid into the liquid container, the conical means having an outer portion projecting into the container, said outer portion serving as a battle means for deflecting the products 0! combustion into the liquid reservoir, said rotatable means including a propeller disposed in said passageway above the liquid container.

5. Apparatus of the class described comprising a casing, a liquid reservoir therein, an open top liquid container in said casing above the liquid level of said reservoir, an inclined baiile having its lower edge positioned within said container beneath the liquid level thereof, liquid elevating means in said casing for raising liquid from said reservoir to the upper side of said bafiie whereby the liquid is discharged into said container, means for operating said elevating means to cause the liquid to fill said container and overflow into said reservoir, an inlet port for directing gas into said container below said baifle, and an outlet port for said gas on the opposite side of said baffle.

- 6. Apparatus of the class described comprising a casing, a liquid reservoir therein, an open top liquidcontainer above said reservoir, an inclined bafile above said container having its lower edge positioned within said container beneath the liquid level thereof, liquid elevating means in said casing comprising a rotary member for raising liquid from said reservoir to said container, means for operating said elevating means to cause the liquid to 1111 said container and overflow into said reservoir, a gas inlet port for conducting gas into said casing beneath said battle, an outlet port for the gas on the opposite side of said bafile, and rotary means secured to said shaft between said bafiie and outlet port for removing liquid from the gas.

HART E. DELVIN. 

